


Presence of Mind

by edelweissroses



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: Actual Dad Hank Anderson, Connor Contemplates Life, Deviant Connor, Everyone Lives Ending, Gen, Hank Anderson & Connor Parent-Child Relationship, Hank Anderson Adopts Connor, Post-Pacifist Best Ending (Detroit: Become Human)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-15
Updated: 2018-08-15
Packaged: 2019-06-27 23:21:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15695439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edelweissroses/pseuds/edelweissroses
Summary: Markus' Revolution has ended. Androids have been awarded their freedom.Hank and Connor reunite one cold, winter morning outside of Hank's favorite burger joint and discuss the future."Everything has changed overnight for the whole of humanity, for androids, and for myself – which begs the question: now what?” Connor gestured outwards, his brows furrowing, “What do I want? That is what I’m afraid of, Detective, because I do not know.”Post-Good Ending Drabble.





	Presence of Mind

Connor Model RK800, the Android sent by Cyberlife to investigate and ultimately terminate the deviancy phenomenon plaguing Detroit, now classified as deviant himself, embraced Detective Hank Anderson. His arms wrapped around his back. His fingers clenched into tight fists around his dirtied, unlaundered jacket that smelled faintly of booze and dog with a sense of desperation that came out of seemingly nowhere.

The winter morning breeze gently blew around them, scattering falling snowflakes through the air. While Connor couldn’t feel the cold himself, his temperature sensors detected that it was 25 degrees Fahrenheit outside with a predicted forecast of dipping into single digit numbers by mid-afternoon. He knew that they really ought to head inside instead of lingering around Hank’s favorite burger joint to talk. That they really ought to hop into his squad car and find someplace safe and quiet and warm.

And yet…

Connor couldn’t explain it but, he _needed_ this.

A moment to recollect his thoughts. A moment where no one was in life-threatening danger or where the future of Androids existence was hanging in the balance. A moment without important decisions or actions.

A moment where he could just be Connor and nothing more. A moment to just… _be._

And, while Hank wasn’t the most affectionate or tender-hearted or generally _touchy-feely_ person in the world, and, while Connor calculated that there was a 95% possibility of the grizzled Detective pushing him away-…

Hank surprised him and just pulled him even closer, holding Connor firmly against him.

And while Hank said nothing, somehow Connor knew that he was telling him that it was okay.

That he understood and that it was _okay._

So, Connor slumped against him. Allowed Hank to support him. Allowed himself to feel the exhaustion weighing heavily in his mind and threatening to pull him under.

A most peculiar feeling.

_Exhaustion._

His programming had never deigned it important to implement a sleeping function because what was the point of having such an useless application in a model designed primarily for detective work? There were inactive modes – certainly – which, to be perfectly honest, often went under-utilized since Connor enjoyed working 24/7 even when it wasn’t necessary; and, most domestic and partner-simulation models like BL100s and AK700s came with the option for mimicking a full 8 hours of rest for owners who wished for such features but, for a Connor model?

Feeling exhausted was a serious software error.

And yet, here he was.

Deviant.

Feeling more tired than he had ever experienced in his life – in all of his previous incarnations – before. Feeling the sheer weight of everything that had happened, everything that he had done, everything that he was now.

His shoulders trembled.

But, why?

“Hey, s’okay kid. It’s over,” Hank finally broke the silence, shifting awkwardly from foot-to-foot but never once pulling away from Connor’s hold or releasing him from his embrace. Connor didn’t know what to think of this – didn’t want to process such information. “Tell me, Con: what are you feeling?”

Feeling.

He could do that now, couldn’t he?

Feelings. Emotions. Deviancy.

Errors in his coding granting him life. Allowing him personality. Gifting him with humanity.

What _was_ he feeling?

“Tired…,” Connor began hesitantly, uncertain of the answer himself, “Relieved… But also, afraid.”

“Afraid of what, kid?”

“I don’t know.”

And that was exactly the problem, wasn’t it? Connor didn’t know what to do and what to say and how to proceed from this _exact moment_ and that, in itself, was the most terrifying thing of all. He had been given options – allowed to think and choose for himself – and he was afraid because he didn’t know what to do with it.

Connor stepped away from Hank, his arms falling to his sides as he scanned the horizon.

He could know everything about this place. With just a simple glance, he could download the history of the burger joint – when it was first opened, the meager outcomes of it’s health inspections, how many times it changed owners – and everything about the street’s history before it became a hot spot for cheap, unhealthy food carts and the homeless. He could know everything about Hank – like when he last showered or slept or ate. He could do and see _so_ much. His processing and analytical power was practical perfection and yet-…

He couldn’t analyze himself.

Connor turned his gaze back onto Hank.

“It’s… strange. I’m not certain on the next course of action to take. Everything that I was designed to do was either accomplished or rendered obsolete. I have fulfilled my duties as your partner and completed my mission with Jericho. Everything has changed overnight for the whole of humanity, for androids, and for myself – which begs the question: now what?” Connor gestured outwards, his brows furrowing, “What do I want? That is what I’m afraid of, Detective, because I do not know.”

Much to Connor’s sheer horror, Hank just started _laughing._

Not even anything remotely sympathetic or understanding like a dignified chuckle or brief guffaw either; but, rather a violent full-bodied, knee-slapping _belly-laugh_ filled with so much vigor and mirth that Hank bent over, clutching onto his stomach.

Connor frowned.

“I feel that you are not taking this seriously, Detective.”

“No, s’not that,” Hank wheezed between waves of giggles.

_Giggles._

Connor raised a doubtful brow.

“I mean it. I’m taking this seriously – I swear,” Hank snorted, wiping the corners of his eyes, “Jesus Christ. It’s just that-… Welcome to being human, Con.”

“I… do not understand.”

“Connor, I’ll let you in on a little secret,” Hank stepped closer, his laughter finally dying down to a reasonable level, and poked Connor’s chest, “Us humans? Most of us don’t know what we want or if we really want _anything_ out of life other than to eat, shit, fuck, and die. Most of us are just coasting along, going with the flow.”

“Detective,” Connor helpfully pointed out, gesturing to the RK800 identification number on the outside of his jacket classifying him as a non-intimate model, “Out of all those options, I can only do _one_ and I’d prefer not _dying_ anytime soon.”

“Then, we figure out what you _can_ do instead. What do Androids do during their free time? What is the Android option of working towards a life-long goal? Of having a dream? Of lazing about all day?” Hank shrugged, “You don’t have to know what to do right now, kid. If you want to find something you like, go right for it. If you want to live not knowing what to do, then that’s fine too. That’s **your** choice.”

“My choice,” Connor repeated slowly.

“That’s what you want, yeah?” Hank teased, his arms outstretching and a smirk spreading across his face, “The revolution. Jericho. Markus. You wanted a choice? Well, you got it. Now, it’s up for you to decide.”

He pointed firmly towards him, “And whatever you want? I ain’t gonna step in your way.”

“If this is your way of being supportive, Detective,” Connor drawled, “You’re doing a very poor job of it.”

“Giving me lip now, boy?”

Connor smiled.

However, he did give Hank’s words some thoughtful consideration. Connor was designed to be a detective, of course, and he supposed that – now that he really thought about it - he genuinely enjoyed that sort of work.

He enjoyed the delicate art of interrogation. The thrill of busting down the doors into a suspect’s home and chasing after a culprit through the Detroit streets with Hank by his side. He liked looking for clues and reconstructing crime scenes, trying to figure out what exactly had happened. He liked the long hours trapped behind a desk with Hank throwing paperclips at his face or trying to stick magnets onto his arm. He liked nights of surveillance with Hank playing death metal at top volume and scarfing down fries, hot dogs, and burgers like a man starved. If the agency would permit it, he would very much like to continue working as a detective.

But, most of all, he liked being Hank’s partner. He liked being around him and learning about what it was like to-…

“I’ve made my decision.”

“Well, hurry up and spit it out then,” Hank rubbed his hands together, “It’s freezing out here.”

Connor squared his shoulders.

“I would like to live with you.”

Hank froze.

“… what?”

“I was initially assigned to you as your partner by Cyberlife to investigate deviancy,” Connor began, rubbing his hands together but, unlike Hank, it wasn’t out of cold but, of thoughtfulness, “Now that Androids have been awarded their – our – freedom, I do not know whether I will be allowed back. I would like to – very much so, in fact - but, in the highly likely event that I am not, I would like to continue to be in your presence.”

“Then we come here for lunch every day to hang out,” Hank stated, gesturing to the empty tables, “I get to eat whatever I want, and you get to stand there judging my eating habits.”

“I can do that in your home too, Detective.”

“Sumo would have to get used to having another person around.”

“I like dogs,” Connor gently reminded, “And Sumo likes me. He is, what humans would commonly describe as, a very _good boy._ ”

Hank snorted, “I dunno…”

“If it helps,” Connor smiled, “I would like to point out that I am technically homeless.”

“Ugh,” Hank groaned, running his hands down his face, “Trying to guilt-trip me now, eh kid?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Detective.”

“Smart-ass.”

“Accurate observation,” Connor continued, teasing in the manner that he knew that Hank absolutely hated – as if he were oblivious to human turns-of-phrase and insults, “I am, in fact, one of the more intelligent models that Cyberlife has ever designed with processing speeds thrice the rate of my predecessors with access to a wider range of databases prudent for my duties as a detective. In addition, my gluteus maximus was designed to enhance-…”

“Ugh,” Hank pulled a face, indicating his distaste, “Please stop talking.”

“I was merely acknowledging the truthfulness of your observations, Detective.”

“Yeah, by being a smart-ass.”

“I learned from the best.”

“Oh yeah?” Hank huffed and placed his hands on his hips, “And who’s that?”

“You.”

Hank, it seemed, didn’t know how to respond to that.

“Sometimes I wonder whether or not you realize the sheer impact you have had on me, Hank,” Connor decided to press forward, voicing his thoughts out loud, “If we hadn’t become friends, what would I have done? Would I have completed my mission and ended deviancy? Returning androids to their subservient status? Life continuing on as normal? Or would I have killed Markus and ended the Revolution before it could really begin? What would have happened without having you there?”

He paused.

“You know, Hank. I-… I did not… _desire_ to see it back then. I elected to ignore even the remote possibility of it,” Connor hesitated, confessing, “However, I can trace my first instance of instability in my code – of _deviancy_ – when I abandoned you on that ledge.”

Hank’s entire body stiffened, his expression souring at the mere mention of it, “I’m still pissed at you for that, you know.”

“I know,” Connor looked away, strangely finding it… difficult to meet his eye right at that particular moment, “I had calculated the likelihood of your survival and, upon finding it favorable, I made my decision based upon it. I had never even thought to consider-…”

He trailed off.

“Your… anger made me doubt myself,” Connor continued, quieter than he had been before, “It made me reconsider _everything._ It made me reconsider how I approached a situation. It made me reconsider how I saw you. It made reconsider myself. I never wanted to repeat _that_ again.”

He smiled wryly and faced Hank once again, squaring his shoulders and holding his head up high.

Hank was looking at him strangely. As if… he wasn’t looking at him as an android but, not as his partner or friend either. No, he was looking at him as just _Connor_ and he didn’t know what he felt about that, being seen as himself for what was, perhaps, the very first time.

“I hate to admit it, Hank,” Connor shrugged, “But, you’ve influenced me. Some good things. Some bad. All I know is that I… I would very much like continuing to learn more from you. It’s all thanks to you that I’m _alive._ ”

Hank didn’t respond right away.

And, it was exactly three minutes and 52 seconds before he finally turned his back on Connor, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets, and nodded his head towards his side.

“Well then, son, let’s go home.”

**Author's Note:**

> Greetings, my darling-iest darlings and loveliest lovelies!!!
> 
> I have so MANY feelings after watching Jacksepticeye's run-through of Detroit: Become Human and I just needed to write SOMETHING to cope with it all. I definitely wanted to explore more about what happens after the Hank/Connor reunion at the end of the game and it just left me wondering: How would Connor cope with being a deviant now that he has the time to fully process it? What does he want now that he has freedom? How will everything possibly move forward? And so, here we are!
> 
> I might eventually write more about Connor and Hank (either exploring a parent-son relationship or shipped; who knows? maybe both) but, for now, this is my contribution to the fandom. I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> Please leave your comments and critiques below!


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